The present invention relates to a slide member for fixing devices for use in, for example, image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, laser printers and facsimiles, and relates to a fixing device using the slide member.
Conventionally, there has been a fixing device composed of a heating roller, a pressurizing belt which is in contact with the heating roller, and a pressing member which is placed inside the pressurizing belt to press an inner surface of the pressurizing belt toward the heating roller (see JP 2004-206105 A).
Further, in order to reduce sliding resistance of the pressurizing belt, a slide member is inserted between the pressing member and the pressurizing belt, while a lubricant is interposed between the inner surface of the pressurizing belt and a sliding surface of the slide member.
One of the functions that the slide member is required to fulfill is wear resistance of the sliding surface of the slide member. However, in the slide member of the conventional fixing device, the wear resistance is not fully taken into consideration.
Accordingly, when the sliding surface of the slide member is abraded away, the sliding surface is roughened. Therefore, a friction coefficient of the sliding surface is increased. Also, virtual viscosity of the lubricant is increased when worn powder of the sliding surface is mixed into the lubricant. Those do increase torque of the pressurizing belt.
When the torque of the pressurizing belt increases, molten toner on the image surface side becomes slippery to generate image slip. Also, driving abnormality is generated due to driving failure of the pressurizing belt.